Groundwater Irrigation Management and the Existing Challenges from the Farmers’ Perspective in Central Iran

Forough Jafary,Chris Bradley

doi:10.3390/land7010015

Abstract

The sustainable management of natural resources, and particularly groundwater, presents a major challenge in arid regions to ensure security of water supply and support agricultural production. In many cases, the role of smallholder farmers is often neglected when managing irrigated water and land processes. However, management decisions have a major impact on farmers’ livelihoods, and it is essential: first, to recognise the crucial role of regional and local social, political and economic systems; and second, to integrate farmers’ perspectives in the governance and management of local groundwater practices. This is particularly important as the ways in which arid region farmers use land and water have wider implications for land degradation and salinization. This paper uses a community-based approach to identify and examine the social, economic and cultural dimensions to groundwater irrigation systems from the perspective of local farmers in central Iran. The paper utilises interviews with local farmers and water agencies in Iran to reflect on their respective roles within the irrigation system and in developing management plans for the sustainable use of groundwater. Through social research, we investigate the reasons why farmers might reject government irrigation management schemes and outline how local problems with land degradation and salinization and reduced water availability have arisen as a result of changing management policies. In conclusion, we identify future challenges and consider appropriate future management strategies.

Highlights

Groundwater Management Crisis in IranGroundwater is the principal source of water used for domestic and agricultural purposes inIran
We summarise the interviews with local farmers and water agencies on their role(s) in Kashan’s irrigation systems and outline their perspectives on challenges regarding the sustainable use of groundwater resources
A range of factors contribute to the challenges confronting farmers in Kashan and, importantly, analysis of the empirical outcomes of the interviews with local farmers show that perspectives on water values, on the rationale for groundwater protection, the definition of irrigation efficiency and on the sustainability of water resources differ between local communities, farmers and official authorities

Summary

Introduction

There are major challenges in managing groundwater sustainability given anticipated increases in the demand for food and potable water, which are leading to increasingly high rates of groundwater abstraction and contributing to widespread reductions in groundwater levels. One of the major failures in groundwater resource management by national government is the inefficient agricultural water use, as the efficiency of irrigation water delivery is thought to be between 33 and 37 percent [2]. The consequences of inappropriate agricultural water management include environmental degradation, salinization, land subsidence and wetland desiccation. Water scarcity has led to increased abstraction of brackish groundwater for agriculture, which can lead to salinization and accelerated land degradation and desertification [4].

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion